This Woman Fulfilled Her Best Friend's Dying Wish and Took In Her Four Daughters

Elizabeth Diamond, a divorced single mother living in Buffalo, New York, was just 40 years old when she passed away from inoperable brain cancer. But before she passed away, she had one huge request for her best friend: to take care of her four daughters.

"She said, 'If anything happens to me, will you take my girls?' ' Laura Ruffino, 41, told People. "I just immediately said, 'Okay.' That was basically it." The two had been best friends since the fifth grade, and helping each other in any way was a no-brainer.

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So after Elizabeth passed away this past April, Laura and her husband, Rico, took in four daughters, ages 6 to 12. They already have two daughters, who are 12 and 14, which makes it a family of eight. The Ruffinos are now legal guardians of the Diamond girls, and are fighting for custody with Elizabeth's ex-husband, who has not been in their lives since 2009.

Going from two to six kids hasn't been easy, and the family has set up two different fundraising pages to help with expenses like converting a garage into bedrooms and getting a bigger car to fit everyone. So far, well-wishers have raised more than $118,000, and if you'd like to help, check out their pages on YouCaring and GoFundMe.

All the girls were friends before moving in together, so they're getting along like real sisters. "We're one big family now," Laura told People. "We just wish Liz was with us."

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